Rural Report for North Queensland, Monday, October 21, 2013

Late finish looms in Mulgrave

Crushing may be all over bar the shouting in the Burdekin but further north, most mills have at least another month to go.

In fact, the season is threatening to blow out into December in the Mulgrave cane district, south of Cairns.

Workers at the mill last week voted to accept an 11.4 per cent increase over three years.

But Canegrowers Cairns region charirman Jeff Day says the end of the long-running dispute is only one less thing for growers to worry about.

With 400,000 tonnes of cane still in the paddock, the late finish is a major concern.

Brazil fire prompts sugar price spike

International sugar markets have reacted to news one of the world's largest sugar terminals in Brazil has been totally destroyed in fire.

The ICE March raw sugar price spiked to a 12-month high amid speculation of two million tonnes deficit caused by a possible six month disruption from the Copersucar terminal at Santos, which exports around 500,000 tonnes a month during peak operation.

Overnight, the price steadied but remained up by 2.5 per cent at 19.5 US cents a pound.

The UK's Independent reports 180,000 tonnes of raw sugar was lost in the Copersucar blaze

Trading houses are already revising downward the availability of sugar from CS Brazil and the ABC understands one international broker has already removed more than 1.5 million tonnes from its slate.

Cattle duffing laws beefed up

Emilie Gramenz

The state government has announced changes to laws preventing stock theft at a community Cabinet meeting in Emerald yesterday.

The minimum fines for a range of stock offences will now be increased from $200 to $1100 per animal or the value of the animal.

Other changes include extended warrant periods and modernised rules around evidence requirements.

Agforce President Ian Burnett has welcomed the changes.

Aloomba honours civic servants

Charlie McKillop

More than 200 years of service to community has been honoured at a special ceremony in the tiny town of Aloomba, south of Cairns.

Five men - Peter McAloon, Ricky Rossi, Alan Medlock, Viv Wienert and Charlie Cini - have each dedicated more than four decades to the Aloomba Fishery Falls Progress Club and have overseen some major achievements for the tiny sugar town.

Mr Rossi has lived in Aloomba for 86 years and is still proud of the sugar cane produced on his farm.

Although Mr Rossi admits these days he spends more time chasing the elusive barramundi than driving the tractor.